The principals of secondary schools in Kwara State on Wednesday said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s achievements in turning around the learning environment and improving the welfare of teachers are unmatched in the history of the state.
The teachers also applauded the introduction of KwaraLEARN which they said is truly impactful, adding that the administration’s interventions have also been spread across every part of the state in a way never seen before.
The school heads made the commendations in Ilorin, the state capital, at an open engagement the Governor held to feel their pulse on the government’s focus on basic education and their welfare across board.
The teachers, who acknowledged the improvements in their wages and teaching environment, also called on the Governor to consider restoring boarding facilities
They urged him to also end the pay disparities between teachers in basic classes and their senior secondary school counterparts which he inherited, commit more funds to laboratories in the schools, and do more to offset the arrears of salaries he met in 2019.
The Principal of Ilorin Grammar School, Hajia Abdullahi Iyabo, said the school was one of the schools which benefited from comprehensive renovation of schools under Governor AbdulRazaq’s administration.
“Our school benefitted from not just a few renovations but total renovation of the school. On behalf of the management of Ilorin Grammar School, we want to say thank you. I also want to express our gratitude to you for the sense of humility and commitment to the welfare of the teachers and students. I want to also sincerely appreciate your efforts at ensuring that teachers are promoted, and we want you to keep this up,” she said.
Similarly, the Principal of Community Junior Secondary School Ipetu-Igbomina in Irepodun Local Government, Mr. Babatunde Josuah Adegboyega, said the administration has given a befitting facelift to schools while doing its best to promote welfare.
“I want to appreciate your good gesture for the promotion implemented, the welfare packages on salaries as well as changing the facelift of schools through renovation. God will continue to be your guide”, Adegboyega said.
The Principal of Queen Elizabeth Senior Secondary School Ilorin, Sidikat Taye Lawal, commended AbdulRazaq for his prompt interventions on issues affecting the school.
“On behalf of the old students of Queen Elizabeth School of which I am one of them thank you for transforming Queen Elizabeth School to a modern secondary school through the road network. We want to appreciate you again for your care and love for the students on exchange programme because I remember last year I was in Minna, Niger State for the Conference of Principals of Exchange Schools and Kwara State was ranked the best in the programme
“We were able to interact with principals from other states and learnt how some had to borrow money to feed their students. But in the case of Kwara, we get money to feed these students as and when due and you transport them at the right time, not leaving them for their parents to send transportation fees.”
Mrs Jimoh C. S. of Junior Secondary School Awonga, Shao in Moro Local Government, said the condition of the school was in a sorry state before 2019.
“l want to appreciate Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the changes you have made in education sector. In the time past in my former school, Government Junior Secondary School, Bode Saadu, the school was in bad state, I don’t even know how to describe the school, all the structures there had been destroyed
“l used to go to SUBEB almost everyday to beg for renovation of the school but nothing was done. There was a time the man told me that the school is one of the schools to be renovated but nothing happened. But when our Excellency got there, both new construction and renovation were done in the school.”
The Principal of Secondary School, Senior Secondary School Kanko, Shonga District in Edu Local Government, Umar Abubakar said the trajectory of basic education has changed for good since the Governor came.
Balla Sa’ad, another principal from Islamiyah College Patigi, described AbdulRazaq as a workaholic Governor who has committed so many resources to improve basic education.
“He is a people’s Governor and a friendly Governor. In fact, in my local government, the slogan now is everywhere you go, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s good works are there,“ he said.
The school principals advocated the recruitment of more science and languages teachers as well as non-teaching staff, provision of more textbooks in core subjects, in-service training for teachers and improved security network of schools.
PIAK
